https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/


  • Details
        If downtown Fayetteville is the golden-haired child of Cumberland County, then the streets right on the outskirts of the historic downtown district are its red-haired stepchildren.
        You have only to drive down the back streets to see that the love and care lavished on Hay Street doesn’t extend very far past its borders. You won’t find business thriving on those side streets, nor will you find manicured Hurley pots or plantings. They are in fact in great need of revitalization and attention.
        The same can be said of Rowan Street. As many of you know, the Up & Coming Weekly’s offices are located on Rowan Street. Being outside of the historic district, Rowan Street does not get the attention that Hay Street does, yet tens of thousands of cars drive down this road every day.
        It is almost impossible to pump gas, stop for a bottle of water or walk down the sidewalk without being accosted by a panhandler. In fact, one of the sights I see daily is a panhandler standing in the center median at Rowan and Bragg Boulevard — his cardboard sign proclaiming his desire to work for food. Oddly enough, just a block over he would be ticketed for doing the very same thing. But, since he is a block over, Fayetteville Police officers simply drive by, ignoring the situation. I’m pretty sure it’s just as dangerous for him to stand there as it is for him to stand on the sidewalks on Hay Street; in fact, it’s probably more dangerous because of the sheer volume of cars that pass by.
        It is that volume of cars that has drawn the Fayetteville Museum of Art to Festival Park and the corner of Rowan Street and Ray Avenue. The museum sees the occupants of those cars as potential visitors and members, which begs the question: Does the city see the importance of those people?
        Because it seems to me if the city did understand the importance of those people and the impact the appearance of Rowan makes on them, they would put a little more effort into policing and maintaining the area. This became very apparent to me as I walked down the Ray Avenue sidewalk to Fayetteville After Five last Thursday.
        {mosimage}The sidewalk was littered with little brown paper bags; you know, the kind people sip beer or wine out of. The vine-covered wall that borders Ray Avenue was littered with used soft drink containers and broken wine bottles representing Mad Dog, Boones Farm and Wild Irish Rose, just to name a few. The wrappers of snack papers also littered the area. Keep in mind; this is the sidewalk directly across from the proposed Fayetteville Museum of Art location.
        It seems to me if the city did understand the importance of those people and the impact the appearance of Rowan Street makes on them, they would put a little effort into policing and maintaining the area.
        We know that litter is a big problem in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. However, this particular litter wasn’t thrown out by a passing motorist. This was litter caused by people sitting on the wall eating and drinking alcoholic beverages on a public street. And that’s a huge problem.
        I first commented on this situation following last year’s symphony in the park. My family and I, along with two other families, spent a beautiful afternoon in the park, only to be confronted by two or three drunken panhandlers as we walked back to our cars. It definitely took the shine off an otherwise enjoyable evening.
        We know the problem, but why does it persist? We’ve gotten it right on other streets, now let’s spread it out. Let’s make Fayetteville the city it should be — even if it’s one street at a time.
        PS: Out of courtesy to our readers, I did not mention an array of other debris and items found on the Ray Avenue wall. Use your imagination.

  • Details
        Television personality Dave Mordell is best known for his appearances on the reality show Last Comic Standing. On Sept. 6, Mordell will be able to add “Last Cowboy Standing” to his resume as he participates in a professional bull riding event at the Shady Acres Ranch in Gray’s Creek.
        The event will be recorded for a nationally known reality television show, though Tim Fowler — the man who runs Shady Acres — says he can’t say what network. And as everybody knows, no cowboy wants to be “branded” as a tattletale.
    “I wish I could tell you the name of the show and what network is filming it,” said Fowler, “but I promised not to. I can say it will be a show something like Dirty Jobs. Mordell is training in Montana but he’s going to come to Shady Acres for the filming in which he gets in the ring for a professional bull riding competition.”
        {mosimage}Mordell has been learning the ropes as a freestyle bullfighter at Sankey Rodeo Company in Joliet, Mont. in preparation for a reality show. And by bullfighter, I don’t mean a Spanish matador clothed in his suit of light; I’m talking about a freelance, Americanized bullfighter akin to a rodeo clown who jumps into the ring after a rider is thrown from a bucking bull during competition; it’s the job of the minder to step in and shoo the bull away so the cowboy doesn’t get crumpled — sort of rodeo clowns without the makeup.
        Fowler adds that he will have at least one genuine rodeo clown tricked out in all his face-painted glory at the event. Plus, there’s the added bonus of television cameras set on record.
    “The folks who come out to the show on Sept. 6 will not only see some great bull riding, but will also get a chance to be on TV,” said Fowler.
        The show is sanctioned by the Southern Extreme Bull Riders Association and will feature at least 30 bull riders. Fowler says there will also be a calf scramble in which a ribbon is tied to the tail of a calf that will run around the ring like an Olympic sprinter gone bovine — the kid who captures the ribbon from the little dogie wins.
        Shady Acres has been hosting these bull riding events since 1996 and is looking forward to showing off its facility and its bulls to a national viewing audience. In addition to being the center of bull riding competition in Cumberland County, Shady Acres hosts various horse and bull events such as barrel racing and bull riding every Sunday night at 6. Fowler also offers bull riding lessons for your inner cowboy; and unlike most other bull-riding schools, Shady Acres has bulls that are suitable for every skill level.
        “We have bulls for all levels of riders, from beginner to the most experienced,” said Fowler. “Most places that teach bull riding don’t do that; they say ‘here’s a bull, ride him.’ They have that old school way of thinking that bull riding is a tough sport and you start out riding whatever bull they give you.
        “We’re not like that here at Shady Acres,” said Fowler. “If you’ve never ridden a bull before you shouldn’t have to ride the same bull that professionals ride. We have women who want to learn and even children. We’ve had an 11-year-old girl and an 84-year-old man come here.”
        Fowler said he was a little concerned about the fragility of the 84-year-old; however, after you’ve allowed a blind man to ride a bull, there aren’t many other barriers to break.
    “A friend of mine was blinded when a bull kicked him in the eye,” said Fowler. “He still wanted to ride and no other place would let him do it. But we did and he was just fine.”
        Unlike the bulls Fowler will put out for novice riders, the bulls that will be in the dirt ring Sept. 6 will be of the nose-snorting, paw-the-ground, hold-on-and-pray variety — the kind of bulls that make the sport one of the most dangerous and physically demanding in the world.
        “I won’t say that bull riders are the best conditioned athletes, but I do think they are the toughest,” said Fowler, “especially the professional riders in the upper echelon. I saw in the Olympics that a Chinese athlete didn’t compete because of a fairly minor injury. I’m not knocking those athletes, but a bull rider breaks a bone and he still gets back on the bull. I saw a guy get his head split open with blood pouring down and the medics said he had to go to a hospital. He just looked at them and said ‘8 more seconds’ (the amount of time you have to stay on a bull in competition).”
        There will be plenty of toughness on display Sept. 6 — from both the cowboys and the bulls — and if you show up you just might see yourself on the TV. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the gate; tickets for children 11 and under are $8 in advance, $10 at the gate; children 3 and under get in free. Tickets can be purchased at Seasons Micro Spa and Salon and Dee’s Feed and Things. For information and tickets, call 551-8936.

  • Details
        Have you ever eaten dried, salted horse meat? Neither have I, but it’s on the menu in Florence, Italy. You can also see Italian tractor racing on TV there. The roar of a racing tractor in Italian or English sounds the same. When we weren’t watching speeding Tuscan tractors, we went to art museums and cathedrals. Italy has more culture than you can shake a VISA card at. Even our hotel bathroom had culture, featuring a sign which implored us to “Help the Nature” by reusing our towels. {mosimage}
        It’s hard work having fun. You have to walk 12 hours a day to see the culture in Italy. Italians store much culture in their museums and cathedrals. Your lower extremities develop a condition called Museum Feet, which is indistinguishable from Cathedral Feet. Tired feet in Italy feel like tired feet in America. After three days in Florence, we had consumed about as much culture as can be absorbed by the human body. Culture was oozing out of every pore. I felt like a National Public Radio station.
        Italy is the saint capitol of the universe. There are more pictures of saints in Italy than the Internal Revenue Service has received excuses from people who haven’t paid their taxes. After a while, all the art becomes a holy blur. To maintain my equilibrium by keeping myself at the low level of culture to which I am accustomed, I started taking pictures of coffee cups across Italy. For some reason I found this entertaining. There are many different types of coffee cups in Italy, most of them fairly small but filled with liquid gold. Each cup of coffee went for about $4 if you sat down to drink it.
        Florence is the Museum/Cathedral feet center of Italy. There is so much art there you feel horribly guilty if you don’t walk yourself into bilateral peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Scholl must make a lot of money in Italy. The podiatrist is king, or at least doge there. How can you pass up the chance to see two more Michelangelo statues after you’ve only walked for eight hours? It’s on to the next museum or wear the Philistine badge. Quitters never attain cultural Nirvana. It’s culture versus feet in a 24-hour Texas death match in Florence.
        Italy was our first tour experience. I was resistant to the idea of a tour as I feared it meant I was no longer young. Turns out that fear is accurate. Turns out the transition from backpacks to tour buses ain’t so bad. I didn’t have to drive in strange cities looking for a hotel. Our luggage would magically appear in our rooms. We got to know the folks on the bus. A dinner was included in each new city. Each tour dinner had a bottle of wine per table. I quickly learned to sit with Louise and Donna who did not drink wine. My wife would drink only one glass of wine, leaving the rest of the bottle for my personal edification. Italy became so much more entertaining. Louise regaled us with exciting tales of her dog Cletus at dinner as I studied the wine.
        Culture in Italy is not confined to museums. Street vendors in Florence’s town square were selling groovy, glowing frisbee flying saucers that launched from a stick. We took a day trip to Sienna where Crayola invented Burnt Sienna crayons. Sienna is a nice brown medieval town. Sienna has the Basilica of Saint Catherine where you can see her preserved head and one of her fingers. I couldn’t see the finger but Catherine looked great.
        On the way back to Florence, our bus stopped at a vineyard for a wine tasting featuring excellent grape products and the most olive oil-soaked piece of bread I have ever eaten. We were instructed on the proper method of tasting wine as a bizarre chicken with a pompadour wandered among the tourists. Our table mates were Jake the undertaker from Minnesota and his lovely bride, who were on their honeymoon.
        As a tip for future Italian tourists, never, ever use your credit card to call home from an Italian pay phone. If you think the cost of the Iraq war is impressive, wait until you see the charges for four phone calls from Italy to North Carolina. Send a post card instead.

  • Details
        I grew up witnessing my sister and close friends being chased after by many guys, some even claiming to be in love. Then there’s me, 23, never in a relationship, and barely ever sought after. I’m not unattractive, but I’ve just begun to get it together with the clothes, the hair and what not. I lost my virginity last year in a hookup on vacation. I’m now dating somebody I don’t see as relationship material, but who goes MIA, calls randomly and makes me initiate us hanging out. I’m literally STARVED for attention, tired of coming in last place, and meeting men who act interested, but turn out to be distant, sex-crazed maniacs. I feel sick to my stomach when I see how late in the game I am compared to my friends. Am I doing something wrong?
                              —Late Bloomer
                                      

        Your problem isn’t that you don’t have the perfect boyfriend right here, right now, but that you’re in a panic about it, probably making you about as seductive as a mountain lion that hasn’t eaten for weeks: “Shall I pounce on you from above, claw your heart out and eat it raw, or do you feel you need a glass of wine first?”
        You appear to be confusing your love life with The Amazing Race. Your sister, your friends and all their men are licking fondue off each other’s fingers on a plane to the Swiss Alps, while you’re in the dressing room of some dusty sporting goods store, waiting for the manager to come back from lunch and unstick the zipper of your snowsuit. And why aren’t you doing exactly what your sister and friends are doing, exactly when they’re doing it? Um...because you are not them? Sadly, there’s a good chance some of them are also better at long division, and have much shinier hair. 
    Yeah, it’s harsh out there, particularly at 23. Guys are distant because they’re 23 and not that comfortable with themselves. They’re also vats of hormones with shoes and maybe a mustache for a disguise. In other words, it’s not exactly the ideal time to find lasting love. It is, however, a great time to figure out what you want in a lasting love by trying on a lot of fleeting “love.” To do that, you’ll have to stop living like you’ll turn into a cleaning lady and your car will turn into a corn dog if you don’t land the romance of the century by midnight.
        While you’re at it, you might relax some in the “grass is greener” department. Judge the value of what you’re doing by whether it makes you happy, not by whether your friends did it by age 12. Try to remember that things aren’t always as they seem from the outside.

    Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA  90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com)

  • Details
        Brother Cesare Bonizzi, 62, of a Capuchin Friars monastery near Milan, Italy, is the lead singer in a heavy-metal band that recently released its second album, “Misteri” (“Mysteries”), following a successful performance at Italy’s “Gods of Metal” festival (headlined by Iron Maiden and, ironically, Judas Priest). On stage, the white-flowing-bearded Brother Cesare booms out gritty but non-proselytizing lyrics while wearing his traditional brown robe. He told BBC News in July that his superiors have never interfered with his sideline and that he plans to send a copy of the new album to the pope. “He’s a music lover, and metal is music.”

    ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
        High Point University (just south of Greensboro) is not quite Club Med (“Club Ed,” it was called by the Chronicle of Higher Education) but provides free ice cream for students, a hot tub in the middle of campus, wake-up calls and a concierge service, all run by a campus “director of WOW,” whose job it is to thrill the “clients” and attract new ones. This is the strategy of President Nido Qubein, a motivational speaker and “customer comes first” businessman, and so far, enrollment is way up (even at higher tuition), new construction is transforming the campus, and $100 million is in the bank. 

    LEADING ECONOMIC INDICATORS
        The U.S. government’s $100 billion stimulus distributed to taxpayers this spring achieved mixed results, according to economists, but at least the Internet pornography industry flourished (according to a July trade association spokesman). Adult Internet Market Research Co. reported that “20 to 30 percent” of “adult” Web sites reported that sales rose during the time checks were being issued. However, Nevada brothels were suffering, even though Hof’s Bunny Ranch ran a stimulus-check special: Hand over your $600 check and get the usual $1,200 “party” (“three girls and a bottle of champagne”).
     
    ROARING DEAFNESS
        After complaints by neighbors, police went to an apartment in Framingham, Mass., in July to quell a raucous screaming match between two women who, it turns out, are deaf.
        In Crawley, England, in July, police were called to a supermarket to break up a fight between two grandmothers, who were ramming each other in their mobility scooters.

  • Details
        The majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by collision. The second most frequent is the motorcyclist losing it on curves. Negotiating a curve is something that takes practice and more practice. Once you are in a curve it is very easy to misjudge it. {mosimage}
        The process of going through a curve consists of the following factors: the approach, entering, braking, the line, drifting wide, straddling the center line, throttling and exiting.  All these factors happen in a matter of seconds.
        Going through curves at a racer’s pace makes for a very risky day. Although it looks cool to see a racer on TV with his leg down on the pavement, the racer does not have to worry about a dirty road, deer, gravel or other obstacles that may be waiting on him. The racer also does not have to worry about oncoming traffic, shoulders or guard rails.
        So let’s break it down. Many riding schools and drivers’ manuals will tell you to SLOW, LOOK, LEAN and ROLL. As you approach the curve you will want to SLOW down by decreasing your speed to get you through the curve. Roll off the throttle and brake slightly before you get into the curve at a safe speed. You will want to do this while still in an upright position.
        LOOK. Before getting into the curve you need to pay attention to the landscape and signs. If you see a 20 mph sign you are in a tight curve. I use my GPS in mountainous areas because I can zoom in and see oncoming curves in detail. This gives me a good reference of what is ahead. Be sure to look through the curve and see any hazard ahead that may be in your way. Do not look at the road where your tires are — look at where you want to go.
        LEAN and ROLL. Once you are in the curve, ROLL on the throttle and keep your speed nice and steady. With a smooth speed established LEAN. There are many techniques to get a good lean. Try the different ways to find a way that is comfortable for you and your bike. You can push pressure on the foot peg; shift your weight over the seat, apply pressure on the hand grips, knees against the tank or forcing your shoulder to the opposite hand grip. Once you find your technique, practice and prefect it. If you find yourself going too wide then lean harder.
        If you have to brake while in the curve, be mindful of your balance and do not allow your bike to spin out or drift in or out of your lane. As you come out of the curve and you have a clear view of the road ahead you can increase your speed again.
        There are four things you can do to improve your riding technique: Be mentally prepared for the curve. Learn everything you can about driving through curves. Know the landscape; know your limits. Never drive beyond 80 percent of your ability; practice, practice and more practice. And finally, keep your space.
        If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, please send your comments and suggestions to motorcycle4fun@aol.com.
    RIDE SAFE!
     

  • Details

       Pineapple Express (Rated R) Four Stars

        {mosimage}With Pineapple Express (111 minutes), you get what is promised, a sort of Harold and Kumar go to White Castle mixed with Reservoir Dogs. While there is nothing new here, neither is the film impossible to enjoy. Apatow productions consistently delivers in the R-rated comedy department, and writers Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg provide some clever dialogue in between the near constant physical comedy (and, for you trivia buffs, the script was actually inspired by the character of Floyd from True  Romance). David Gordon Green (who is rumored to be tackling the Suspiria remake next) seems an odd choice for director here, but even so he lives up to the material. The only glaring misstep is the inexplicable casting of Rosie Perez as the “sexy” corrupt cop, Carol Brazier.     You know who would have been a much better choice in this role? Pam Grier. You know who has far too much self-respect to agree to such a  pathetic role? Pam Grier. 
        We open in 1937 in a secret underground government laboratory, where Pfc. Miller (Bill Hader) is participating in tests to help the government make a decision on the legal status of marijuana. In the present, a process server named Dale Denton connects with his new dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco). Dale buys a rare strain of cannabis from Saul, heads off to visit his girlfriend Angie (Amber Heard), and then goes to serve a subpoena to Ted Jones (Gary Cole).       Dale witnesses something he shouldn’t, and runs to Saul’s apartment while Ted dispatches his henchmen Matheson (Craig Robinson from The Office) and Budlofsky (Kevin Corrigan). Dale and Saul find their way to Red (Danny McBride), Saul’s middleman, and thence to a series of violent misadventures in which Dale and Saul affirm, again and again, that “bromance” never dies. The film’s climax takes place at the underground bunker introduced in the beginning of the film, now turned into a grow house for the wacky tobaccy sold by Ted.
        Does the film glorify drug use, specifically the use of marijuana? While the film focuses on the comic aspects of smoking dope, as the characters evolve they do seem to develop some self awareness regarding the negative side-effects of pot. For an action comedy, there is actually a certain amount of depth to the discussions regarding the pros and cons of illegal marijuana use. Will the average viewer pick up on the fact that by the end of the move Dale has become disenchanted with his lifestyle, having pointed out several times that if it weren’t for the drugs he might have avoided much of the trouble Saul and he faced, as well as identifying specific instances in which being high worsened their situations? It is hard to say, but even though this is a hyper violent action/stoner comedy, there are certainly several levels on which to enjoy this. 
        But before the credits roll, Pineapple Express does have several more lessons to teach us. One, James Franco makes perfect sad puppy dog eyes. Two, putting your foot through a car windshield to improve highway vision does not work. Three, shaved armpits actually improve your fighting ability. Four, Ed Begley Jr. with a shotgun is actually less scary than Ed Begley Jr. preaching an environmental message. Five, and most important, even though the excellent song “Paper Planes” is in the trailer, the song does not find its way into the actual movie or the soundtrack.  

  • Details

    Reporter Helen Thomas Makes a President’s Life Miserable

        Helen Thomas, the dean of the White House press corps, specializes in asking uncomfortable questions.     Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House (Thursday, 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 10:30 am, HBO) begins with one such question she asked President George W. Bush: “Your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, and every reason given has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war?” Bush offered his spin, but Thomas wouldn’t drop it. So he dropped her, shutting her out in future press conferences.{mosimage}
        It’s all in a day’s work for this dogged reporter, who’s been covering the presidency since John F. Kennedy. Thomas was the peculiarly inquisitive daughter of illiterate Syrian immigrants, and she became a pioneering female White House correspondent for UPI. The documentary itself is journalistically suspect, using Thomas as its only source. But it’s still fascinating to get her idealistic take on the press: “You can’t have a democracy without an informed people. If we don’t ask the questions, they don’t get asked.”
        Thomas isn’t even afraid of asking uncomfortable questions of herself. She wonders why she didn’t uncover Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal rather than reporters from outside the White House press corps. She wonders if she went easy on any of the presidents after being charmed or flattered by them.
        I live in fear that Thomas will ask uncomfortable questions about this blurb.

    ON THE OTHER HAND, DEATH: A DONALD STRACHEY MYSTERY
    here! (On Demand)
        The gay network here! is available On Demand, and this program is well worth demanding. It’s as good as any other mystery series on TV, but it has one thing they don’t: a gay private investigator. The roguish Donald Strachey (Chad Allen) helps out a lesbian guidance counselor (Margot Kidder) who suffers harassment in a small town. He attends a school board meeting overrun with homophobic protesters, who brandish signs reading “Adam and Eve, Not Adam and Steve.”
        After watching this refreshing mystery, I feel like making a sign that reads “Adam and Steve, Not Adam and Eve.”

    CRISS ANGEL MINDFREAK
    Wednesday, 10 p.m. (A&E)
        Criss Angel is the magician known for controlling matter with his mind: levitating, making robots come to life, etc. His series usually opts for a portentous tone, but this week the producers attempt to lighten things up by throwing Criss a surprise birthday party. Let’s hope he’s not so surprised that he accidentally changes the guests into donkeys.

    TABATHA’S SALON TAKEOVER
    Thursday, 10 p.m. (A&E)
        There’s a serious problem in our country that’s been underreported in the press. Hair salons are not operating up to snuff. Thank heavens Bravo is on the case, premiering a reality series with a mean British star named Tabatha. As ominous music hums on the soundtrack, Tabatha sends spies into American salons for haircuts. One spy asks for an inch taken off and winds up with — I kid you not — three inches.
    Tabatha gravely shakes her head. “The stakes on this are really high,” she sighs.
        Are you as disgusted as I am that, after nearly eight years in office, the Bush administration has done next to nothing on this issue?

    OLYMPICS FINALE
    Sunday, 7 p.m. (NBC)
        It’s time for the grand finale of the Beijing Olympics. The Chinese hosts honor two weeks’ worth of international cooperation, raise a toast to high ideals, and round up the last batch of protesters.

    DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
    Monday through Thursday
        The media have been doing saturation coverage of the 2008 presidential race since, like, 2002. I know I should be excited that the conventions are starting, but my brain melted down somewhere between the flag-pin debate and the fist-bump debacle.
        My official position is that I’m watching the start of convention coverage on Sunday, and I urge you to do the right thing and join me. I wouldn’t even think about switching over to Colossal Squid on the Discovery Channel. Not in a million years.

    AMERICA’S TOUGHEST JOBS
    Monday, 9 p.m. (NBC)
        This reality series invites contestants to leave behind their comfortable jobs for dangerous blue-collar work on Alaskan crab boats or Texas oil rigs. They’re judged by their new coworkers, with one employee eliminated every week. The winner walks home with $250,000.
        I know you read that paragraph and thought, “I’m not watching this crap.” Well, I don’t have that luxury. I not only have to watch it, but also to think about its contribution to the decline of American culture.
    Oil rigger? Give me a break. America’s Toughest Job is TV critic.

  • Details
        Local musician Kenny Huffman was born and raised in the coal country of Pennsylvania. This seems only natural, as the Quaker State transplant will light up the stage with his combustible rock ‘n’ roll energy at Huske Hardware in downtown Fayetteville on Friday, Aug. 25, as part of the city’s monthly 4th Friday celebration.
        Huffman, who has made Fayetteville his home for the past nine years, will play alongside backing  band Workhorse.
    Huffman plays a brand of diamond-sharp folk-rock that recalls Bruce Springsteen, John Cougar-Mellencamp and Buffalo Springfield; however, his own personal music tastes run a wide and eclectic gamut.
        “I love rock bands, such as Boston and Steely Dan,” said Huffman. “But I have a variety of influences, like Robert Earle Keen.
        “I like to think of my form of music as ‘Americana,’ or ‘roots’ music,” added Huffman.
    Despite his breadth of musical influences and the perceptions of others, Huffman has a style all his own. And to hone that style, Huffman has branched out with a multimedia packaging of his music that includes not only several CDs, but music videos. In fact, come Friday night at Huske Hardware, Huffman will debut a brand new video for the song “Pirate Days.”
       {mosimage} “It’s a collage of performances from Fayetteville and Sanford.” said Huffman. “And there are some clips from previous 4th Fridays, including the belly dancing troupe Shadows of the Fire.”
        Huffman says he’s excited about playing during the 4th Friday celebration. He says the event is indicative of a revived music scene taking root in Fayetteville.
        “I really like the Fayetteville music scene,” said Huffman. “I think the scene is really growing. I’ve talked to some of the older guys who tell me what it used to be like when the scene was hopping; I think we’re getting back to that and I think it’s related to how the downtown is blossoming.”
        And as the Fayetteville music scene blossoms, so does Huffman’s core of fans, which he says skews to the “over 30” demographic, though his music is timeless rock ‘n’ roll designed to appeal to all ages.
    “It’s hard to build a huge following if you’re only playing weekends like we do,” said Huffman, who has a “day job” at Cross Creek Early College High School. He has worked as an educator for 15 years. “I want to appeal to as many people as possible when I play.”
        While his workdays are filled with the molding of young minds, his weekends are filled with helping mold his collaborative partners, Workhorse, into a well-lubed rock ‘n’ roll machine.
        “They’re great guys,” said Huffman. “And they’re not just great musicians — they’re really great human beings.”
    Huffman has released two CDs with Workhorse, and says it was a “blast” to make the “Pirate Days” video. In fact, he enjoyed the filming process so much that he hopes to make another. And while he has embraced this new visual medium to get his musical messages to the masses, he has also seen the electronic scribbling on the wall when it comes to the intertwined future of music and the Internet — there are original song downloads at www.kennyhuffman.net.
        “We try to direct people toward our Web site rather than attempting to sell a lot of CDs at our shows,” said Huffman.
    Jut like the Internet, Huffman and Workhorse will be “wired” and ready to go on Aug. 25 at Huske Hardware, with the music starting at around 10 p.m.
        For more information about Huffman, Workhorse, or the 4th Friday show, you can check out the Web site or e-mail Huffman at huffmani@hotmail.com.

  • Details
        These guys have been around the block. They don’t kid themselves about their music, but they play it straightforward. Their music may not be visionary or present a new formula to invigorate the current lackluster rock scene, but you know what, it does R-O-C-K . {mosimage}
        New Machine was originally created as Downfall in 2004 and had a good start locally. Like most bands, all four members struggle with a “day job.” Three of the four members live the military life, and have been called to active duty numerous times. Still, the group’s passion and zeal for music has kept them playing local gigs as often as possible under the reformed name New Machine.
        The working parts of the band are Dave Marshall (vocals, guitar), Scott Hawkins (lead guitar, vocals), Mitch Dennis (bass), and David Miller (drums).
        I was able to sit down and ask the boys a few questions about the band’s future, their opinions on the Rock Band craze, and just exactly what grinds the gears on New Machine’s machine.
        What makes you stand out from other bands?
        Hawkins: We don’t sound like anyone else. We’re a bit older than most bands at this stage of the game, so there is a bit more maturity — though you wouldn’t know it hanging out with us.
    Miller: Versatility! We are as versatile a band as you’re gonna’ find. We can play everything from Zeppelin and Tool to Skynyrd.
        Marshall: You certainly won’t read about crazy nights in the tabloids. Our tone has a lot to do with that. When I write, I try to tell a story that people can follow. The ‘70s had some great tales to tell. We still do today, and our band adds a harder feel to those stories.
        Dennis: Our broad range of inspirations allows anything we write to morph into something completely different sounding.
        What do you think about Rock Band?
        Hawkins: I’ve tried Guitar Hero and my 14-year-old son kills me at it every time. Despite this, I think there are more musicians out there with more integrity than most politicians today. The creation of a video game to commemorate such artists is a testament to this.
        Miller: Those games don’t interest me — I never even think of the bands on them, just the music played.
        Marshall: No game will ever substitute the hours of practice, collaboration, pain, boredom and satisfaction of learning an instrument. I’m just glad to see the game pays respects to greats like Aerosmith over the Miley Cyrus’s of the world. Still, it’s a quick fix for people too lazy to actually take the time to appreciate the feel and sound of the real thing.
        Dennis: Eh, I think Rock Band is fun, but there isn’t anything better than playing a good show and meeting the REAL people who enjoyed your music.
        What about music inspires you?
        Hawkins: A good guitar tone, an awesome drum beat, a low-down-fat-bottom bass line, inspiring lyrics...You know,     New Machine.
        Miller: I get going by the way a song feels and builds.
        Marshall: Music to me is therapeutic. A good song can put you in a good mood and keep you there. Playing for other people inspires me because if a song makes someone not worry about their day for just a few moments, then that song is powerful.
        Dennis: Intricate music. I want to be able to play faster and heavier than anyone else.
    When asked why anyone should check out the band, bassist Dennis replied with a simple “Because we have pizzazz.”
        Any man who uses that word in all seriousness and to indicate worthiness gets my vote. So, go check ‘em out. Their heavy rock sound finishes with clean vocals creating a new machine for a tired rock vehicle. For their next show, check out dates on their Myspace: www.myspace.com/fayettevillesnewmachine.

  • Details
        {mosimage}Dear EarthTalk: What is “community-based tourism” and how does it purport to safeguard pristine places?                           
                      — Erin O’Neill, Tukwila, Wash.

        Community-based tourism refers to situations in which local people — usually those that are poor or economically marginalized in very rural parts of the world — open up their homes and communities to visitors seeking sustainably achieved cultural, educational or recreational travel experiences.
        Under a community-based tourism arrangement, unique benefits accrue to both the traveler and the hosts: Travelers usually accustomed to chain hotels and beachfront resorts discover local habitats and wildlife and learn about traditional cultures and the economic realities of life in developing countries. And the host communities are able to generate lucrative revenues that can replace income previously earned from destructive resource extraction operations or other unsustainable forms of economic support.
        Locals earn income as land managers, entrepreneurs or food and service providers — and at least part of the tourist income is set aside for projects which provide benefits to the community as a whole. And just as important, says ResponsibleTravel.com, which promotes community-based tourism in a partnership with Conservation International, the communities become “aware of the commercial and social value placed on their natural and cultural heritage through tourism,” thus fostering a commitment to resource conservation.
        Travelers indulging in a community-based tourism trip might follow a local guide deep into his tribe’s forest to spot otherworldly wildlife, eat exotic regional delicacies around rough-hewn tables, watch and even take part in celebrations of local culture, and sleep on straw mats at the homes of local families.
        In many cases, local communities partner with private companies and nonprofits that provide money, marketing, clients, tourist accommodations and expertise for opening up lands to visitors. In 1997, eco-travel operator Rainforest Expeditions wanted international visitors to learn about threats to the rainforest. Natives in Peru’s Esé-eja community of Infierno wanted to generate income without destroying their rainforest home, central to their subsistence lifestyle. So the two joined forces and the resulting Posada Amazonas lodge to this day offers visitors an exotic way to learn about rainforest ecology directly from English-speaking Esé-eja staff, who in-turn earn a living sharing their local knowledge and traditions.
        Another example is the partnerships that the nonprofit Projeto Bagagem (Project Baggage) has forged with several Brazilian communities to bring in tourist dollars to support sustainable choices. A third of the cost of every Projeto Bagagem trip goes to the villagers and another third to a local nonprofit. Last year the group won a Seed Award from the United Nations and the non-profit World Conservation Union for its efforts to translate “the ideals of sustainable development into action on the ground.”
        Extreme poverty coupled with abundant natural resources makes the Amazon basin an ideal place for such programs to thrive, but community-based tourism can be experienced anywhere. To find qualifying, pre-vetted trips that contribute to local economies all over the world, visit ResponsibleTravel.com.

        CONTACTS: ResponsibleTravel.com, www.responsibletravel.com; Rainforest Expeditions, www.perunature.com; Projeto Bagagem, www.projetobagagem.org.

        GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/

  • Details
        {mosimage}Q: How much water do I need to drink in a day? I constantly hear different standards from different nutritionists, trainers, dietitians etc. I have been seeing some saying one should have half the amount of one’s weight. Right now I have lost some weight since working out with you guys and I am down to 240 pounds. That would mean I would have to drink 120 ounces or 15 cups of water.
                                      — Kevin, Fayetteville

        A: Kevin, while that’s a valid question, what we look at is how much water are you consuming in a day and how can we make that as easy as possible. So the easiest “formula” to follow is to answer these questions, “is your urine clear or dark?” Does it have a strong smell? “Does the flow ‘feel’ slow or ‘thick’?” These are some of the questions I’ll ask someone regarding their water consumption.
        The problem is that there are so many theories and ideas that can be “scientifically” proven — good or bad; however, the best gauge is to use common sense. The body is comprised of protein and water, so doesn’t it make sense to refuel it with what it needs to rebuild? Let me know if this helps.

        Q: I had a baby two months ago and my doctor told me I need to start exercising to lose weight. What do you suggest?
                                   — Shirley F., Fayetteville

        A: Start slowly — start moving around again and stretching your body. Once you’re used to moving around, you need to add in weight training. One of the reasons we recommend weight training, even over traditional cardio, is that with an effective program you’ll not only strengthen your heart like you would with cardio, but also condition and strengthen your muscles which is going to help you in your day-to-day activities. Additionally, if you pair your cardio with weight training like we do with our training, you’ll see huge positive results stemming from your body having to constantly adapt to ever changing challenges.
        Starting out, we normally recommend two days a week — no more than three — of exercise …You don’t need another job! We believe functional, compound movements to be the best for your body. These are full body movements like squats, lunges, overhead pressing, and pull-ups. These are going to use more muscles and energy than the fluffy exercises you typically see – inner thigh machines and the like! Think of it this way, the more muscles you use, the more “tone” you will get and the more calories you will burn. Yes, that is an overly simplified view of it, but you get the picture.

        Q. I am getting ready to join the military and need to lose 20 pounds to enter — what do you think I should eat? My recruiter keeps telling me to do these seaweed wraps and eat once a day. That doesn’t sound healthy
        A: Your recruiter is going to hurt someone! You need to be eating frequent, small meals throughout the day to rev up your metabolism and exercise on a regular basis. While not a dietitian, we have seen our clients succeed by eating meals or snacks balanced out with protein, vegetables, fruit and good healthy fats while cutting out sugar like sodas, breads and pasta.
        Seriously, the recommendation to only eat once a day is setting you up to lose muscle and actually gain more fat — regardless of what weight you might lose. What that means to you is that you’re going to be weaker than before and fail your pt test.
        The seaweed wraps will help you lose subcutaneous water (below the surface) and dehydrate you. Whatever inches you “lose” will come right back as you rehydrate yourself. In the end, the advice given — while possibly well intended — will not help you. If you are serious about getting into the military, do it right and set yourself up to succeed in this adventure.
        E-mail your questions to John Velandra at: john@designsinfitness.net or call him at (910) 306-3142. John is a certified personal trainer and the owner of CrossFit Cape Fear and Designs In Fitness Personal Training Services in Fayetteville.

  • Details
        {mosimage}There are many sensible goals in state tax reform. But if anyone is unsure where to start, I suggest that they zero in on places where the tax code isn’t just inefficient or unfair, but blatantly nonsensical.                                                            The General Assembly just acted in one such area: gift taxation. In the 2008 budget bill, lawmakers agreed to repeal the tax as of Jan. 1, 2009. Budget officials estimate that North Carolina’s tax, one of only four state gift taxes left in the country, nets the treasury about $18 million a year. In fact, it’s not even clear there is a net revenue gain for the state, given the economic distortions that gift taxation creates.
        It’s related to the larger debate about estate and inheritance taxes. The logic behind gift taxes is that if the government taxes transfers of wealth at death, individuals with substantial assets will attempt to evade taxation by giving away assets to family members before passing away. So the government should tax those gifts. But asserting logical relationships among flawed premises will always yield flawed conclusions.
        For one thing, this case for gift taxation assumes that the tax system should be used to punish thrift or redistribute wealth. These are Keynesian and Marxist sentiments, respectively.
        Keynes taught that saving was bad for the economy because it reduced aggregate demand for goods and services. Because higher-income individuals tend to save more of their income than lower-income individuals, the government ought to use the tax system to discourage saving and put more money into the hands of lower-income folks who’ll spend it — and thus prop up the consumer economy. Or so the Keynesian argument goes.
        Keynes was, to put it charitably, off his rocker. Savings would only have the economic effects he theorized about if it consisted of greenbacks and bullion residing in someone’s mattress. In reality, people now save by depositing funds in banks, plowing money into their own businesses, or purchasing stocks, bonds, real estate and other assets. These actions shift the demand for economic production, rather than reducing it. Instead of consumers using the money to buy finished goods, the companies receiving the investment may purchase new machinery or develop new distribution channels, which must themselves be produced using labor and other resources.
        As for the appeal of wealth-redistribution socialism, it’s really pretty limited when spelled out in plain English. That’s why most Americans oppose wealth taxes at death even though most of them don’t have enough assets to reach the taxation threshold. The idea just doesn’t seem just to them. Death-tax proponents have learned to change the subject by arguing that it’s unfair for heirs to gain “unearned” income — but that does not explain why it’s fair to dictate to those who earned the income that they must leave it to strangers rather than family.
        Even if you buy the principle that the tax code ought to try to confiscate wealth, that doesn’t mean it will succeed. What the entire thicket of estate, inheritance, and gift taxes really does is sustain an industry of accountants, financial planners and lawyers who help wealthy people structure their assets to minimize their tax burden.
        With regard to North Carolina’s gift tax, the pros have been telling individuals for years to establish a domicile in another state with no tax and then structure their gifts, trusts, and insurance to avoid triggering a taxable event in our state. That’s why it’s not even clear the repeal of a state gift tax generating $18 million a year will actually cost the treasury that much, because North Carolinians will now have less of a financial incentive to game the state’s tax code, resulting in higher property and income-tax receipts.

  • Details
        Most North Carolinians, whatever their political persuasion, would argue that our state is very progressive, particularly when compared to other states in the South. {mosimage}
        About 60 years ago, in his book Southern Politics in State and Nation, V.O. Key gave substantial support to North Carolina’s progressive self-image. He wrote that our state was “progressive plutocracy,” and that it was more progressive than other southern states in industrial development, public education and race relations.
        Duke professor William Chafe refers to North Carolina’s “progressive mystique.” Some others talk about a “progressive myth,” asserting that the “progressive” aspects of our state have usually been in service to the interests of the powerful “elites.”
        However, North Carolina’s partisans proudly affirm that our state’s sharp progress in business, education, expanding opportunity, racial justice and quality of life justify the state’s progressive reputation. “If we are not progressive,” they say, “why are so many people from other states moving here?”
        A new book, The New Politics of North Carolina, edited by Western Carolina professors Christopher Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts, asks if North Carolina deserves this “progressive” designation. The editors’ conclusion, after a long survey of North Carolina politics and government, is  “…North Carolina is no longer the regional leader, losing ground to peripheral South states such as Florida, Texas, and Virginia. Georgia, North Carolina’s Deep South neighbor, can also legitimately claim to have surpassed North Carolina in terms of progressivism.”
        How do Cooper and Knotts support this “heresy?” They recruited a number of their academic colleagues to examine various topics in North Carolina political and governmental life, compared with that of other Southern states and the rest of the county. The essays collected in the new book summarize their findings in the areas of partisan politics, public opinion, public and private interest groups, media, state and local government operations and two specific public policy areas, the environment and education.
        The contributors use various methodologies to compare North Carolina’s “progressivism” with those in other states. So, readers are free to challenge both the selection of information to describe North Carolina’s situation and the basis for comparison with other states.
        Putting aside for a moment the book’s conclusion about our state’s “progressive” status, the in-depth discussion of various aspects of North Carolina’s government operations makes a real contribution to anyone who wants to know how things get done in North Carolina government.
        The essays on electoral politics and public opinion in the early chapters should be helpful to new students of North Carolina political history, although the repetitive summaries of that history could slow down serious readers who are searching for the authors’ “new” insights.
        At the core of the book are excellent and useful descriptions of the three branches of governments — their powers, the limits to those powers, and the role of individuals in office in determining how the various institutions work.
        Especially helpful to me was the essay by Sean Hildebrand and James Svara about the complex interrelationships in North Carolina between state and local governments. Read this part of the book if you wonder why North Carolina cities can annex adjoining areas without state approval (or majority vote) but cannot issue bonds without approval of a state agency.
        Dennis Grady and Jonathan Kanipe’s essay on the state’s environmental politics is a wonderful introduction to the hard conflicts of interests that have to be managed by a host of federal, state and local governmental agencies, all of whom are being pressured by an even larger group of public and private interest groups.
        Such essays introduce readers to a “new” kind of politics and a new way of doing public business that would be unbelievable to North Carolinians of 60 years ago. Now, after reading the book, do I think our state is still a progressive leader? My opinion, bottom line, North Carolina still leads the pack.

  • Details
        Enrico Glover and Lezzit Duren met about four months ago through an online dating service. They are still together — not as a couple, but as business partners.
        “We met for the first time and we began to talk about our horror stories of meeting (other singles) and being single,” said Glover. “The frustration of going out and getting all prepared only to have the photo they emailed you turn out to be 10 or 15 years old, and things just going downhill from there. Then we just thought about it and said ‘Hey, what about speed dating?’ We both had heard about speed dating before and thought it was a great idea.”   {mosimage}
        Instead of one date, you actually have the opportunity to meet six or seven folks at one event. “With that amount of numbers you are at least a lot closer to connecting with some one,” said Glover.
        Some research, a few phone calls and three months later, Glover and Duren are area representatives for Cupid.com and set to host their first speed dating event. This is the first of several speed-dating socials that they have committed to. The venue is Big Apple Restaurant and Sports Club at 5900 Yadkin Rd., on Aug. 26. Singles 27-39 are invited to register at www.Cupid.com/PreDating.
        Glover noted that speed dating is fun and can be sometimes misunderstood. “People, when they think of speed dating, they think of these folks who can’t find a date or anything of that nature — which is completely opposite of what we’ve found,” said Glover.
        In reality, many young professionals are so busy with their careers that they don’t have a lot of time to go to bars and clubs. “So when we can find an atmosphere where we can find a like-minded individual that is not just looking for dating but possibly more, we thought this would be a great opportunity,” said Glover.
        In fact, one of the things that Glover and Duren really like about Cupid.com is how they follow up with the participants after the event. They don’t just leave you out there on your own. “What happens is, you may go there and you may like somebody, but you have no idea if they like you. With this system, you can actually find out that such and such found some interest and it leaves it wide open instead of going to an event and just mingling or going to a club and you see somebody you like, but don’t know if they are interested in dating,” said Glover. 
        So far the response has been enthusiastic according to Duren. “People are really excited and keep asking ‘When is the speed-dating party? Are you still doing it?’”
        “We don’t provide background checks on people who are coming. We just wanted to provide an avenue for like-minded people who are interested in an icebreaker event. We will provide that format and they may meet new people but they should take the same precautions that they would if they met someone in a different venue. We are just providing that atmosphere. This is not a dating service,” said Duren. “This will provide them not only with other people who are single and are looking to meet, and date (because people go out all the time but that doesn’t mean they are ready to date). This atmosphere they know, they don’t have to wonder if it is a good move to go over and talk to someone.”
        With the hope of speed dating becoming a regular part of the Fayetteville singles scene in mind, Glover and Duren are already planning events for other demographics. “We are doing the first one dealing with the age population in Fayetteville (which is mainly military) which is 27-39,” said Glover.
        “But then the next one we may do a little higher scale may be the Hilltop restaurant...A little smaller a little classier, or a wine tasting or something of that nature. So it is not just going to be for the young single professional but I can see something like maybe going to folks who are retired but still looking for that significant other.”
        The party starts at 7 p.m. Check out www.cupid.com/PreDating for the details and to register. You don’t have to join Cupid.com to be a part of this event. 

  • Details
        Southern Soul Blues Music is a style of popular music developed by Black Americans combining elements of gospel, blues and R&B and is derived or pertains to the South. It is music filled with emotion, sensuality and passionate romanticism. This music warms your home and touches deep down into your heart and soul.
        The first annual Southern Soul Blues Festival will be held on Friday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Crown Arena. The artists scheduled to perform include Lacee, Shirley Brown, Clarence Carter, Theodis Ealey, Willie Hill, Sir Charles Jones, K-Ci from Jodeci, Lebrado and Fayetteville’s own Reggie Codrington.  {mosimage}
        “I want the crowd to enjoy themselves and send the couples home with a romantic nightcap,” said  Codrington, a smooth jazz saxophonist and performer of the Southern Soul Blues Festival. “I want the audience to take their minds off of the issues and problems going on in the world and enjoy some soothing and mellow music.” 
        Codrington was born with a mild case of Cerebral Palsy. After a total of nine operations, intensive physical therapy and fierce determination, he has been playing saxophone for 28 years and been making a living out of it for 18 years.     Codrington has experienced some bumps and bruises along the way but has learned a wealth of information regarding the entertainment business. His latest CD, Sunny Days, includes the single “Special Treasure” and can be purchased at www.cdbaby.com. His next CD will be released in December 2008.                         
        Southern Soul songstress, Lacee, will perform her hit, “The Twist,” for the audience. She is from Memphis, Tenn., and has done extensive work with the Bar-Kays, Howard Hewitt and Glenn Jones. “I want the audience to be energetic and feel what I feel,” said Lacee. “Before I get on the stage I pray because I want to minister to others.” 
    Lacee added that she puts emphasis on her music because she wants to inspire others. Her next album will be released in September 2008.                  
        “This is going to be a spectacular event,” said Codrington.   
        {mosimage}Tickets are $39 in advance, $46 the day of the show and are on sale now. Military and group discounts are available. Tickets may be purchased at the Crown Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 223-2900. The Crown Center Box Office is located at the Crown Coliseum and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information call 438-4100. 

  • Details
        You can tell a lot about a person by taking a look at their home. What’s hanging on their walls or tucked away on their shelves shines a light on their personality: Is it whimsical, traditional or off the wall?
    Fayetteville residents will get a chance to learn a little more about members of its art community during 4th Friday. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is hosting Off the Wall, an exhibit of art works literally taken off the walls of its staff and board members.
        “It’s a fun show for staff and board members,” explained Calvin Mims, the arts services coordinator at the council. “People will bring something in from their personal collection. It can be from a very serious collection or piece from a child’s collection or a whimsical piece. We want something with an interesting story, background or history. We think this will give our community some insight into our staff and board members.”
        As of this writing, pieces were still coming in, but a pretty eclectic bunch of art work has already made its way into the exhibit.
        “We have a couple of pieces from C.J. Malson, the former owner of Art and Soul Gallery,” said Mims. “She is bringing in a couple of pieces — one a work by Roseanne Brida who did the façade of Art and Soul and a  pencil drawing by her late grandmother which absolutely has tremendous sentimental value, but is not marketable. So we’re getting things like that.”
        William Brooks, a board member, brought in four works of art by his two sons, who take art instruction from Becky Lee, a Fayetteville artist and art teacher. “They have done some very interesting drawings, and he has submitted those,” said Mims, who added that many board members are bringing in collectible pieces by a Fayetteville artist.
        Among that group is Deb Mintz, the director of the Arts Council. Mintz has an eclectic collection of works by area artists. Some of the works she is sharing are from some very prominent local artists, while others are from artists who are just making their way in the art community.
        Mims, an acclaimed artist in his own right, is also contributing art to the show. “I’m bringing in a very special piece by Elizabeth Catelett,” he explained. “It’s a linoleum block print called Two Generations. Elizabeth Catelett is one of our African-American masters who is internationally renowned for her paintings, sculptures and drawings.
        “I purchased this piece about 20 to 22 years ago when I had an opportunity to meet her,” he continued.  “It’s one of the few collectible pieces I have where I’ve met and engaged the artist.”
        In addition to the great art, music lovers will also be in for a treat at the Arts Council, as the cool music of the Roy Roach Orchestra takes them on a sentimental journey with the big band sounds of Glenn Miller, Count Bassie, Woody Harman and Benny Goodman.
        The event kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22 at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County located at 301 Hay St.
        “This is going to be pure fun,” concluded Mims. “The exhibit is going to be an interesting insight into the hearts and minds of all our art lovers.”
        The fun doesn’t stop there. Be sure to wind your way through downtown and take a peak at the other venues in the 4th Friday lineup.
        Just down the street from the Arts Council, Cape Fear Studios will be featuring The Collective Works of Lawrence Favorite, a wood turner from Mebane.
        Favorite notes of his works, “I derive my greatest satisfaction as an artist from the sheer joy of doing — of being at one with the wood and releasing the beauty that is within. I love the challenge of looking at it and listening to a piece of wood and letting it reveal to me what it should become,” he said in an artist statement.
        {mosimage}Favorite knows a lot about listening. In the early ‘70s, he was working as a mechanical engineer with a manufacturing firm in Arizona. His work was leaving him empty, and after a period of reflection, he dropped it and decided to pursue his growing interesting in art.
        In looking for a way to express himself, he began a period of work with desert ironwood, a species of wood that is only found in the Sonora Desert. That love affair continues today, .
        Additional 4th Friday Venues:
        •CJ Designs – Local Impressionistic Artist, Leigh Ann Withrow.
        •Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum Annex: Special Exhibition of SCCA Formula race cars.
        •Hay Street United Methodist Church: In One Accord, a local Christian vocal group, performing a wide variety of musical selections, ranging from the traditional to the contemporary and from hymn tunes to gospel numbers. 
        •City Center Gallery & Books: Winners of the Field of Honor photography contest.
        •Cotton Exchange: Spontaneous Combustion jazz ensemble, refreshments.
        •Fascinate-U: Children will be creating buses with art supplies. Free admission and refreshments.
        •Market House: Exhibition of artifacts, period weapons and uniforms from the Spanish-American War and the role our region played in it.
        •Headquarters Library - Big Medicine, string band music of the rural South: Old-time melodies, mountain harmonies, ancient ballads and archaic fiddle tunes, heart songs, hollers, hymns, and a touch of early bluegrass. Refreshments.
        •Olde Town Gallery will host its 2nd Food Show Art Competition.
        •Rude Awakening will host photographer Jennifer Seaman and her work.
        •SfL+a Architects Gallery: Art by the Communicare Kids, music by Tad Dreis.
        •White Trash will feature hand scrimshawed bangle bracelets by Jessica Kagan Cushman.

  • Details
        Years ago when the Dicksons were still ferrying junior family members to and fro for summer camps, we found ourselves at a large table in a loud and busy pizza parlor with two other young families one night before the opening of a sports camp the following morning.
        Those in our own boisterous crowd included the five Dicksons, my favorite Raleigh cousin, her husband and their four sons, and a family we had not met before but who turned out to be a successful Raleigh attorney and his wife and their two children: A daughter and a son who would be attending the sports camp.
    A fine evening and lots of pizza were had by all.
        The whole world now knows the third family as John and Elizabeth Edwards and their children, Cate and Wade, who died several summers later in a car accident on I-40. In the curious way of the world, I bumped into them again the following weekend at a camp for girls where we were both dropping off our daughters.
        Our camp trips seem now, just as they did then, normal summer activities for families with active young children. No one had any inkling that John Edwards would become first a United States senator and later a candidate for president, or that Elizabeth would remain a private citizen and still become one of the most admired women in America.
        {mosimage}We had absolutely no idea that John Edwards would go on to become yet another poster boy for excruciatingly bad behavior by a well-known politician. 
        I am reading and hearing all the same outrage toward Edwards that everyone in this nation is absorbing these days. There is speculation about when the affair between Edwards and a hired videographer began and how long it lasted. Who knew about it? Edwards has said he told his family but when? Was it before or after his wife of more than three decades and four children, Elizabeth, was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer, which is now incurable. Is Edwards still in contact with his mistress, and, above all, is he the father of her infant daughter whose birth certificate lists only the mother’s name?
        What about the married Edwards’ staffer who seems to be taking the fall on the paternity issue?
        Some, if not most, of these questions will probably never be answered publicly, and perhaps they should not be since Edwards is no longer an elected official charged with the public trust. Perhaps this entire affair is no more our business than if the situation involved a perfectly ordinary private family down the street.
    Do women elected to high office behave this way? Maybe so, but I have never heard about it.
        Some men in high office, however, have made astoundingly bad decisions. 
        Think former Colorado senator and one-time 1988 Presidential frontrunner in Gary Hart. With rumors of womanizing circulating, Hart challenged the national media. “Follow me around. I don’t care. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’ll be very bored.” 
        They did and they were not.
        An attractive young model was spotted leaving the senator’s apartment, and the two were later photographed aboard a yacht named — of all things, Monkey Business. The frontrunner dropped out of the presidential race. 
        Think President Bill Clinton.
        In a historic second term, with a strong economy and a balanced budget, he took up with a White House intern only slightly older than his own daughter. In a particularly creepy twist on degrees of separation, my favorite Raleigh cousin’s brother had somehow arranged a special tour of the White House for his family during that time. They were viewing the Oval Room one quiet Saturday afternoon when the Secret Service suddenly hustled them out, saying the president had an unexpected meeting. Much later, the investigative Starr report published the White House visitors’ log for that day.
        The only meeting participants that afternoon were the President and the intern.
        Think Elliot Spitzer, New York’s crusading and seemingly fearless prosecutor turned governor, who lost his job and his credibility in Washington’s elegant Mayflower Hotel with a high-dollar call girl.
        And now we have our own John Edwards whose story of betrayal and deception is still unfolding and whose family and loyal political supporters feel angry, disappointed, and deeply betrayed.
        What were these men thinking? 
        Each of them is clearly talented and each clearly wanted to use his intellectual gifts and political skills for the betterment of our nation.
        Was what brought them down arrogance, a feeling that they were so special they could behave in ways the rest of us cannot? Did they believe they were so vastly different from the people they served? Was it what we call in our family, “high self esteem?”
        Countless lessons wait in all of these sad and tawdry tales, but one stands out to me. 
        None of us — wife or husband, mother or father, daughter or son, colleague or confidante - can ever truly know another’s heart.

  • Details
        I teach College Freshman Composition, also known as English 111, at Fayetteville Technical Community College. It is the course that is required for most degrees, and is important instruction for students who need to learn to write for college. Each semester I am dismayed by the fact that many, if not most of my students are completely unprepared to write a cohesive unified essay in the third person. And although we at FTCC do teach individuals from all over the United States, many of my students have graduated from schools here in Cumberland County. It is appalling to know that an incoming freshman who has graduated from one of our high schools and who has taken and passed all required English courses, is still not prepared to write in the approved manner. Why is this?
        {mosimage}The North Carolina Standard Course of Study may shoulder part of the blame. An analysis of this document shows that it is reading and not writing that is emphasized in the competency goals. There are six such goals listed for high school students, and they read about American, British and World Literature. They analyze literature, identify story elements, and respond to issues in literature — according to this course of study — but it is not until “Competency Goal 6” is reached in all four years, that conventions of writing are even addressed. This must change.
        The reluctance of high school teachers to read and respond to student writing may be another part of the problem. I understand this because it is not easy to slog through the muck and muddle of student writing. It takes time to read two and three page essays — time that teachers are not compensated for by the way. However, if students write and are not corrected, what is the point of their writing? Is it just to say that they did indeed write? High school is the time to correct sentence fragments, run-on sentences and yes, improve spelling and vocabulary. When they get to college, students should not still be making these mistakes. As a college instructor, I should not have to teach these basic skills — but each year, I spend time doing this. I take home stacks of essays to grade, and sometimes it seems as if I am writing more than the student did. If high school English teachers are not also taking time to read and correct papers, it is no wonder that the level of writing skill is deficient. This too needs change.
        It almost goes without saying that television and gaming have had a deleterious effect on most students’ ability to write clearly and concisely. Reading good books and magazines does help students to write better by exposing them to a variety of writing styles. When did reading become a dreaded chore?
        Lastly, students must claim their share of responsibility. It is just too easy to go to the Internet and Google the topic the teacher may have assigned, and then copy and paste. Voila! Complete essay with little or no effort. And all the student had to do was access the Internet. Where are the parents while this theft of intellectual property is occurring?  Where is the alert teacher who recognizes that the student who “wrote” this, was not capable of producing such sophisticated writing, and called the student on it?
        School will begin very shortly. I implore all teachers — not just English teachers — to take time and have students write. Look for badly structured sentences and ask the student to correct them. Find ways to expand vocabulary and improve spelling. Take home papers and grade them. The NC Standard Course of Study does allow for the teaching of writing. Teachers, principals and the state of North Carolina just need to make it, rather than reading literature, a priority.

  • Details

        Declining circulation, revenues and profits have not stopped the Fayetteville Observer from selectively rejecting good business and advertising revenues. Last week, in an unprecedented move, they invoked a policy selectively rejecting employment opportunity ads from our company F & B Publications. Since 1996 we have published a community weekly newspaper in Fayetteville/Cumberland County. We also publish PrimeLife Magazine for area seniors and, in 1998, we created and introduced Kidsville News!, a children’s newspaper and educational resource to Cumberland County. It is unconceivable and unbelievable that after a 13-year history of doing business with the Fayetteville Observer and with a journalistic mission to promote local “quality of life” venues for the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community, we are shocked and disappointed that our only daily newspaper would intentionally obstruct and curtail the potential employment opportunities of local residents.
        Over the years we have created media sales & marketing, advertising, graphic design, delivery and administrative jobs and career opportunities for hundreds of people over a last decade. So, what gives here? Making this situation even more ironic, last week they (Fayetteville Publishing Co.) offered its employees voluntary buyouts in an effort to reduce operating costs and adjust for declining revenues.
        So, what message is the Fayetteville Observer trying to get out? “You can’t work here…… but you can’t work anywhere else (either).” If this is true, how sad. Sad, but not surprising.
        This policy was engineered and implemented by Jeff Green, chief marketing officer and Fred Benson, sales and marketing director. Benson did not return my phone call. Their new policy was supported and endorsed by Publisher Charles Broadwell (who did take my phone call). He said, without explanation, that he was going to support the new policy decision of Green and Benson. Hmmmmmm. Go figure? Just a few months ago Broadwell told me personally that there never has been a policy at the FO to bar or exclude “other media” from advertising for local employment. That same day, I received a personal phone call from Mr. Benson himself apologizing for the rejection and “misunderstanding.” He gladly accepted my employment advertisement and my money. We have continued to do business. That is, until last week, when this issue again conveniently resurfaced.
        It just doesn’t seem conscionable, responsible or respectable that Broadwell, Green and Benson would block employment opportunities and reject advertising revenues while asking their employees to voluntarily take early retirement. In a letter to their employees they also acknowledged that layoffs may be looming in the very near future. Again, how creepy, “you can’t work here……but you can’t work anywhere else (either)”.
        This is only one example of why newspaper monopolies all over the country have always been a very bad thing for the public in general. Monopolies lack a conscious. Sure, they talk local but strive to focus and invest in their own long-term well being. And, at what cost? I am not faulting the daily newspaper for trying to survive in these trying times. That’s business. But, to keep job and career opportunities out of the reach of qualified local professionals just because they can is beyond shameful behavior.
        Here at the Up & Coming Weekly we believe in daily and community newspapers. We also believe that good, honest business and journalist practices by the media is what keeps our economy vibrant and our residents informed. These days every business organization and industry is faced with rising costs and tough economic conditions. The FO needs to deal with its own demons. We are dealing with ours. In the meantime, they should let everyone one else evaluate whatever marketplace opportunities are available.
    Notice: We are hiring. Sales managers, classified managers and sales and marketing professionals. We provide benefits, health care and 401k and we are a great place to work. Send your resume with a cover letter to Publisher, F&B Publications, PO Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 E-mail bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com
        There, I just saved $300.
        Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • Details
       {mosimage} It’s no bull — the Syndicate is coming to town.
        Bull City Syndicate, a nine-piece band featuring a four-piece horn section will bring the funk to Festival Park on Thursday, Aug. 21, as part of the Fayetteville After Five concert series.
        The Raleigh-based band has been together in one form or another for eight years. Trumpet player Steve Baker says the band’s horn section makes it unique.                                                                                            “We’re a horn band, not a band that uses horns,” said Baker. “And there is a a difference. There are a lot of beach music bands in North Carolina that implement horns but don’t play music centered around the horn.
        “Songs based around a horn section have pretty much disappeared,” said Baker. “So there aren’t a whole lot of bands playing the old songs like we do.”
        The Syndicate’s music includes original songs as well as covers by such famous horn bands as Earth, Wind and Fire, the Tower of Power and Chicago.
        Included on the band’s set list are such classics as “Spinning Wheel” by Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park,” and “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire.
        Lest you think they are just a golden oldies band, the Syndicate also covers more modern tunes, such as Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love,” and “Hey Ya’” by Outkast.
        “Our biggest demographic is the 35-50 crowd,” said Baker, “mainly because that generation grew up listening to the classic horn-based songs. But we do perform a lot of songs for the younger generation.”
        Baker said the band plays about 100 gigs a year, mostly weddings and corporate events, though the band does enjoy playing the clubs and other venues; he said the Syndicate has gigged in Fayetteville, but only at private functions.
        “We would love to play in some of the Fayetteville clubs, but most clubs don’t want to pay for a nine-piece band when they can get a three- or four-piece band cheaper. Plus, we’re such a large band that there aren’t many venues where they can fit us all on the stage.
        “We are looking forward to playing Festival Park, though,” said Baker. “I’ve heard it’s a good venue.”
    While Baker said the band is performing as many gigs this year as in the past, he says the state of the economy and high gas prices have affected the group economically.
        “Because gas prices have gone up so much, our operating costs have increased,” said Baker. “However, we’ve had to actually lower our asking price to get gigs. Corporations aren’t having as many parties because of the economy and people having weddings have cut back on what they will pay for a live band.”
        Despite the downturn in the economy, Baker said the Syndicate will definitely lift the spirits of everyone attending the show. Also, Baker said that so far, Bull City Syndicate is the only band on the bill, which means the group will play three one-hour sets.
        However many sets the band plays, the concert series has been a huge success, especially, for the Fayetteville Museum of Art, which sponsors the free shows and uses the proceeds as a fundraiser.
        “It’s been extremely successful,” said Michelle Horn, the museum’s assistant director. “The series has been met with more success than it had last year. It continues to grow, which means as a fundraiser it is more and more successful.”
        Horn added that the series has been extended through October; traditionally, the series only runs through September.
        The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. and wraps up at around 9:30.

  • Details
        {mosimage}With gas prices soaring, you might not want to take a drive down to the beach, but you can take a short ride to J. Wesley Vineyards where the sounds of the beach will come to you as the Tams perform on the lawn at the vineyard on Saturday, Aug. 16 from 7 -10 p.m. 
        “Our goal is to entertain the people and do the best show we can do,” said Dianne Cottle-Pope, manager of the Tams. “We have performed at a lot of vineyards in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.”
    Cottle-Pope added that the Tams also perform at the Fayetteville After Five series and the group loves to interact with the crowd.    
        So get out of your chair and bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the rhythmic sounds of the Tams. The Tams were formed in Atlanta, Ga., in 1962. Its members were Joseph Pope and Charles Pope (founders), Horace Key, Floyd Ashton and Robert Lee Smith. The current members include Charles Pope, his son Li’l Redd — better known as the fastest feet in the South — Joe Jones, Robert Arnold and Reginald Preston. Despite the unfortunate passing of the legendary Joe Pope, the Tams have continued to be as popular as ever. 
         accolades include being inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame, Atlanta Hall of Fame and the Beach Music Hall of Fame. The Tams were given the title Beach Band of the Decade. Their recently released singles “My Main Squeeze” and “This Love Will Last” are from the latest CD The Tams Comin’ At Cha’. They have released more than 15 albums and have been honored with one platinum and several gold records. The group has toured and recorded with Jimmy Buffet and performed with Gladys Knight, Jackie Wilson and many more.                   
         “Lil Redd loves to dance and get the crowd involved,” said Pope. “We are going to have a great time.”         
           J. Wesley Vineyards has brought the spirit of winemaking back to Cumberland County. The family is growing three different varieties of muscadines on 8 acres of the vineyard. Their goal is to host good company, good food and fine wine.          
         “We are looking forward to bringing some fun, family entertainment to Fayetteville,” said Alan Egerton, manager of J. Wesley Vineyards.  
       Food, wine, beer and drinks will be available for purchase. J. Wesley Vineyards is located at 9340 Chickapee Drive in north Fayetteville. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the

  • Details
        Brotherhood will be the word of the day on Saturday, Aug. 16, as members of the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity hold an “Achievement Luncheon” to honor five local African-American men and women of distinction.
        The luncheon will start at noon and be held at the Fort Bragg Officers’ Club.
        Those recognized at the luncheon include: North Carolina State Supreme Court Associate Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson; Billy R. King, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners; C. Mason Quick, M.D. (posthumous); Charles W. Cookman, president/owner-WIDU Radio; and Dr. Allen S. McLauchlin, president of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Ministerial Council.
        According to Floyd Shorter, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, as well as director of the Fayetteville Business Center, “all of the honorees have distinguished themselves as community leaders and exhibited outstanding achievement in the respective award categories of service, business and economic development, leadership, civic involvement and spiritual empowerment.”
        Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate fraternity with a predominantly African-American membership. The fraternity was founded on Jan. 5, 1911, at Indiana University-Bloomington and has more than 150,000 members with 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the Union, and international chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Japan, the Caribbean and South Africa.
        The local chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi has about 150 members said Shorter, and is active in providing mentoring and leadership to young African-American males in Cumberland County.
    “We teach them etiquette and how to prepare themselves for collegiate life as well as fitting into society,” said Shorter. “The kids are very enthusiastic and excited to be networking with other kids. It helps boost their confidence.”
        {mosimage}Shorter said Kappa Alpha Psi also provides food for the needy.
        The fraternity was the first predominantly African-American Greek-letter society founded west of the Appalachian Mountains still in existence, and is known for its “cane stepping” in NPHC organized step shows.
        The president of the national fraternity is known as the Grand Polemarch; Dwayne M. Murray, an attorney and the 31st Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., will be the guest speaker for the luncheon.
    Murray, an experienced bankruptcy attorney, was the first African-American lawyer appointed to the Chapter 7 Panel of Trustees for the United States Middle District Bankruptcy Court.
        “It’s a huge honor to have Grand Polemarch Murray at our luncheon,” said Shorter. “And it’s an honor to recognize the achievement of five African Americans so involved with and so important to our community.”
        The cost of the luncheon is $35 per person. Proceeds will support scholarships for high school young men upon graduation who are involved in the Kappa League program, an ongoing program of the fraternity that focuses on the mentoring and personal growth of young males.
        “We’re looking forward to seeing many members of the public at our luncheon,” said Shorter, who added that non-active members of Kappa Alpha Psi are encouraged to get back on board with the local chapter.
        For ticket requests, contact Lee Beavers, chairman of the Achievement Awards Luncheon by calling (910) 527-3707, or inquire via e-mail to lbeavers141@embarqmail.com.

  • Details
        In July, the Obama Grassroots Committee rocked Fayetteville; and now, the Democratic Party’s Party will rock Festival Park on Friday, Aug. 15.
        The event designed to keep the excitement level high during the doldrums of the summer, will feature great music, food and fun, as well as provide information about the upcoming elections and give unregistered voters a chance to register to vote. “It’s about keeping people informed, involved and excited,” said Grainger Barrett.
        {mosimage}The event will mirror the Obama Jam in some ways, with Rahmeka Cox, Miss North Carolina Junior Teen, singing the National Anthem. Cox wowed the crowd during that event and is sure to entertain again. Also joining Cox for a repeat performance are Dan Speller and His Bluespell, which headlined the Obama Jam. Speller has long been a Fayetteville favorite and the mellow sounds of his blues will definitely get the audience excited. Speller, a retired Army noncommissioned officer, plays all around the region and the local area.
        A native of Flushing, N.Y., Speller has been playing music all of his life; he maintains it all started with the “beat of his mother’s heart.” He developed an interest in music while listening to his older brothers’ records and attempting to sing and play along with them in the ‘60s and ‘70s. He moved to the mountains of North Carolina at the age of 13, where he developed his musical craft, learning to play guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and the harp.
        In 1975, he joined the Army and spent some time seeing the world. That time was put to good use, acquiring musical inspiration from different countries and cultures. Upon retirement from the military in 1996, he committed all his time and energy to his music. His musical taste is as varied as his background — he likes blues, rock, jazz, country, beach, reggae, funk and classical. He is currently recording, composing and producing his own CD on his Bluespell record label. You’re definitely not going to want to miss his set at the jam. Joining Speller in the lineup is the gospel group Unbridled Praise and the rock group D.L. Token.
        In addition to the music, attendees will also have the opportunity to meet Democratic and independent candidates for office. That’s part of the informed portion of the show. The candidates will be on hand to discuss issues and to hand out information about their campaigns. For the involved portion, attendees will have the opportunity to volunteer to work in various campaigns or register to vote if they are not registered already.
        The Party’s Party will begin at 6 p.m. and run through 8:30 p.m. Don’t worry about what you’ll have for dinner, as food vendors will be on hand throughout the evening. The event is free and open to the public. So come out and get informed, involved and excited at the Democratic Party’s Party.

  • Details

        {mosimage}Serious runners will tell you it takes blood, sweat and tears to excel at their sport.
        The local chapter of the Red Cross will tell you it takes blood... lots of it... for the organization to excel at its mission of saving lives.
        On Saturday, Aug. 16, at 101 Robeson St., in downtown Fayetteville, there’s a collision of sorts between these philosophies when the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter sponsors its 2nd Annual Road Event and Family Fun Walk. Though copious sweat is expected, the only blood the Red Cross wants to see is the donated variety, and the only tears are those of joy as contestants cross the finish line.
        Last year’s inaugural event drew more than 400 participants for the Red Cross fundraiser.
        Marlita Suggs, media spokesperson for the Highlands Chapter, said this year’s event is looking even bigger with more than 500 folks already registered to participate.
        “It’s shaping up to be a tremendous event,” said Suggs. “The people who participated last year had nothing but positive reviews of the run and family walk. We have not just locals registering, but runners from across the state.”
        The Road Event and Family Fun Walk is one of several fundraisers sponsored by the Highlands Chapter of the Red Cross. It is the largest road race in Fayetteville. There will be three events: the 2008 RRCA North Carolina 10K State Championship, the 5K Road Event and the 1Mile Family Fun Walk.
        The starting point is across from the Airborne & Special Operations Museum; a detailed route is a available on the ARC Web site, www.highlandsarc.com.
        Starting times are 7:30 a.m. for the 5K, 7:50 a.m. for the 10K, and 8 a.m. for the Family Fun Walk.
        There will be awards for the top three overall male and female runners in the 5K and 10K and in the following age groups: 9-12, 13-15, 16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70 and over.
        Prizes will be awarded to the top three wheelchair entrants and to the youngest and oldest walker. Awards will also be given to the school/club with the largest participation in the 5K and 10K category.
        Race day registration will start at 5 a.m. at the race location and end at 7 a.m. Race packets will be available for pick up onsite at 5 a.m. on race day and end at 7 a.m.
        There is a $20 race day adult advance registration fee for all age groups; $15 advance registration for ages 3-18; $20 late registration for all age groups; free for ages 12 & under. All registration fees are nonrefundable.
        Should rain be predicted for race morning, all three events (5K, 10K, and Fun Walk) will nevertheless go forward as planned.
        Strollers, kids’ wagons and dogs on leashes are allowed. All participants will receive a T-shirt and goodie bag. Additional T-shirts may be purchased for $8 online or at the event on race day.
        Register online at www.highlandsarc.com. For more information, call Marilyn Martinez at (910) 867-8151.

    Tim Wilkins, Associate Editor
    COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 105 or tim@upandcomingweekly.com

Latest Articles

  • Publisher's Pen: Cracker Barrel, “This Bud’s for You!”: A tale of two branding blunders
  • Many Americans ask: What has happened to us?
  • We need to ask ourselves: Where does our garbage go?
  • Community pushes back against 7-11 in neighborhood
  • Government Watch: 7-11 zoning approved, Fair kicks off at Crown Complex
  • Cape Fear Regional Theatre brings Dolly to Fayetteville stage
Read More
Read More
Read More
Read More
Read More
Read More

Popular Articles

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Up & Coming Weekly Calendar
  

Login/Subscribe